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Amsterdam hosts prestigious ERS International Congress

For the 25th convention of the ERS (European Respiratory Society), thousands of experts from around the world gathered in Amsterdam to discuss the latest developments in lung health.

13 October 2015

The world’s leading event in respiratory medicine chooses Amsterdam

The ERS International Congress is the world’s largest meeting in the respiratory field. The European Respiratory Society is an international organisation that brings together physicians, healthcare professionals, scientists, and other experts working in respiratory medicine. It currently has members from more than 140 countries worldwide.

The conference, which took place at the RAI Amsterdam from 26-30 September, also included contributions from outside the field of respiratory medicine, including for example regenerative medicine, ageing, and the environment.

Amsterdam has long been a major source of scientific innovation

As the conference's organizers explained, Amsterdam is the perfect location to host this event. The vibrant atmosphere of this historic city centre complements the ground-breaking science that has long been taking place in the Amsterdam. As far back as 1641, for example, the scientist and former Mayor of Amsterdam Nicolaes Tulp was the first to report a link between smoking and its adverse effects on the lungs.
The Dutch climate of intellectual tolerance allowed for greater scientific exploration than in some other European countries, where novel scientific ideas were often met with suspicion. This quickly led to the Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, becoming Europe's publishing centre, which quickly attracted scientists and leading thinkers.

The conference president Elisabeth Bel, of the Academisch Medisch Centrum (AMC), mentioned how Amsterdam has reaped the benefits of an international outlook. Bel suggested that the respiratory field should mirror Amsterdam’s approach, working together as an international network to achieve its goal of promoting lung health and combating lung diseases.